What's in a Name?
by BlueFeatheredRaven
Summary: Gil was not worthy to speak with him in such familiar terms. That was what he believed. What he had always believed. But… It didn’t mean he didn’t wish he could call his master by his first name… Oneshot, Light Gil/Oz


I wanted to take a break from 'Loyalty', so I decided to take this little idea I've had since Loyalty Chapter 3 and write a quick little drabble with it ^_^

Enjoy!

**O-O-O**

**What's in a Name?**

**O-O-O**

"_You know Gil, you don't need to call me 'Master' when it's just the two of us. Just call me 'Oz'!"_

"_I-I couldn't do that Young Master!"_

"_Of course you can, we're friends aren't we?"_

"_But I-! But you-! B-but I'm just-!"_

"_Gil why are you blushing?"_

"_It wouldn't be right!" _

"_How come? I'm telling you that you can-"_

"_I can't!"_

"_Honestly… You're hopeless Gil…"_

Gilbert was seated on the window ledge of his Master's room, staring out across the mansion grounds but not really taking anything in. He was lost in his memories; of his arrival at the Vassalius household, his first meeting with Master Oz, the little adventures they had been on, the trouble he'd got into for allowing the mischievous blonde to leave the mansion, how his master had managed to help him escape Mrs. Kate's wrath… And the most recent memory, where Oz, in that lyrical voice Gil was sure he could listen to forever and never grow tired of, had given him permission to call him by his name alone. No titles. No Formalities.

"_Just call me 'Oz'!"_

And what had Gilbert done in response? He'd thrown the offer back in his master's face.

The young servant frowned at the memory.

Yes… He knew he was just a servant. He was humbled by the mere presence of his master, and gladly so. Oz was an incredible person, bright and intelligent and strong, a charming young man, a loving brother, a caring master despite his teasing. It was an honor for Gilbert to serve him. A privilege.

Oz was a better person than him, in every way he could possibly imagine. Gil idolized him, wanted to be him, yet never dared to believe he ever could be. It seemed somehow disrespectful to his master to even think it possible.

Gil was not worthy to speak with him in such familiar terms.

That was what he believed.

What he had always believed.

But…

It didn't mean he didn't wish he _could_ call his master by his first name…

Gil shook his head vigorously, _"No! You can't!"_ He told himself. It would be rude to refer to his master so casually. Nevertheless, he found himself glancing towards to door; his master gone to the library a few minutes previously and had not returned. Normally Gilbert would have accompanied him, but Oz had specifically told him to wait for him to come back. So he had.

He did not hear any approaching footsteps, and bit his lip lightly.

It wouldn't hurt to say his master's name out loud just once, would it?

It was just a name, after all… And no one would hear him if he said now, if he whispered… He felt himself blush; why did he feel like he was planning to do something wrong? But he was still going to do it. It would drive him crazy otherwise (it already had for the past few days). It wasn't a big deal... It wasn't a big deal... So just say it already!

"Oz…" he whispered quietly, barely audible, not daring to raise his voice. It sounded strange on it's own, foreign, unfamiliar. It made him feel uncomfortable, but it also caused a smile to tug at his lips and his face warmed pleasantly. There! He'd said it! And it… Why did it make him feel good? "Oz…" His stomach fluttered and his wavering smile settled on his features. Wait, he'd said it again. Why? Why did he like saying his master's name? Was it simply because it was something he never did?

No… It was what using his master's name like this meant that pleased him; it was a connection, a sign of closeness. "Oz…" And every time he said it, that invisible bond between them seemed to illuminate, to glow, to make itself known to him. He was _allowed_ to say his master's name. The other servants were not, and he had never heard the blond extend the offer to anyone else before. Only to Gilbert. Because Gil was… Gil was… "O-"

A sudden burst of noise sounded, shaking him from his thoughts.

"OZ!" Gil almost leapt out of his skin as the door of the bedroom flung open with a bang, falling off the windowsill and landing hard on his backside, unable to lessen the impact because his hands had flung up to cover his mouth the minute his master's name passed his lips, loud and colored with shock.

The young Vassalius heir stood in the doorway with a number of books clutched under his arm, and blinked curiously in the direction of his servant.

Honestly, part of Gil was relieved that it _was_ Oz standing in the doorway; it would have been far more awkward trying to explain why he had randomly screamed his masters name if it had been anyone else.

For the most part, though, he was completely mortified.

"O-Oz I-" He mentally screamed; he'd done it again! "Master I-!" What? What was he supposed to say?! Why wouldn't the ground just open up and swallow him? Oz began to stride quickly across the room. Gil felt sick. "I-! D-Did you find the book you-?"

"Gil!"

The young servant yelped when his master's hand suddenly landed on his shoulder, eyes shutting tight, head lowered, as if expecting to be struck. Maybe Oz had changed his mind, maybe he didn't want Gil calling him-

"You haven't read the fourth Holy Knight novel yet, have you?"

"… Huh?" Gil blinked, confused, and raised his head to look at his master, his face still burning. Oz was smiling down at him, tilting his head expectantly when his servant remained silent, "N… No." Had he not heard him? How could he _not_ have heard him? Gil was sure the servants in the garden below must have!

Oz tutted and removed his arm from Gil's shoulder, using his now free hand to pull one of the books from under his arm, holding the blue, leather-bound novel out to his servant, "You're hopeless Gil; I shouldn't have to tell you to keep up with your reading!"

Had… He really not heard him? A mixture of relief and disappointment mingled within Gil as he reached up and took the book from his master, "S-Sorry Master-"

"Ah!" Oz jabbed his finger in Gil's face, causing the young boy to squeak, grinning as he said, "It's 'Oz' when it's just us!"

Gil felt his face heat up once again – so he HAD heard! – but he nodded wordlessly. He made a move to get up when he saw the young blond gather the remaining books in his arm, but a swift nudge in the chest from his master's boot knocked him back to the floor, after which Oz took a seat in the space next to his servant beneath the windowsill and pulled the fifth Holy Knight Volume onto his lap. He had gone to retrieve one of his history books, but judging by the small pile of blue fiction at his side, Oz was not intending to study the Tragedy of Sabrie today. Still feeling uncomfortable, especially with Oz sitting so close, Gil followed his master's lead and opened the novel he'd been given on the first page (Honestly, he wasn't all that interested in the series, but Oz had ordered him to read it so...). Just as he was about to start reading, a loud, content sigh from his master caught his attention.

"I just love this series," Oz said, running his index finger along the top of the page he was reading, smiling softly, "It's slow paced, but the story is really interesting, and that characters are wonderful! Don't you agree…" he turned his heard towards his servant expectantly, still smiling, "_Gil?_"

"Yes M-," Gil paused, catching sight of the expectancy in his master's eyes, the intensity with which his eyes stared into his, asking him silently to say it. He swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded, fingers clutching the book in his hands, "Yes O.. Oz."

Gil could understand why he was unable to stop smiling after that. He could explain the butterflies in his stomach, the buzz in his head, the pleasant patter of his heart in his chest. He felt this way because he was happy. Because he felt closer to his master, to Oz, than ever. Because he felt, through the simple act of referring to the blond on familiar terms, that he was liked, that he belonged somewhere. That he had a home. And that home, no matter the time or place, was with Oz.

What he couldn't explain was the way his master's eyes had lit up when Gil had said his name, why _he_ had seemed unable to stop smiling, why he shuffled in place and hummed in the exact same way that Gilbert had wanted to, but had restrained himself from doing.

Why did his master continue to smile, even as he immersed himself in his favorite novel?

Unbeknownst to Gilbert, the feelings of acceptance, of belonging, of happiness, were mutual.

**O-O-O**

The end!

I hope someone enjoyed it! ^_^ It was all written in one sitting, so it's not the best... I'm not very good at oneshots and was trying not to make it too long ^_^;


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